Amateurs continue their chase for the title

SOUTHPORT Amateurs passed their first test in their quest to lift the Premier Division title.

Lying second before kick off and playing the team in third place (Blessed Sacrament), add to that the league leaders in cup action the stage was set.

Again Amateurs had late cry offs for one reason or another.

Amateurs knew the game was going to be tough and close having never beaten Sacrament in the past, but all the players were up to the challenge.

The first chance fell to Amateurs after ten minutes, but the ball was inches wide.

After 15 minutes of constant pressure from Amateurs they got their reward.

Dave Jackson, causing all sorts of problems to the defence, saw the ball bounce luckily off him straight into the path of Paul Sumner who was also up for the corner, Paul made no mistake from 10 yards out.

Amateurs could not take advantage of their domination in the first half and came into the break just the one goal up. The players went into the second half knowing Sacrament were going to come at them in the first ten minutes or so, the instructions was keep it tight.

Amateurs could not hold on and within three minutes poor marking on the edge of the box gave the centre forward the time and the space never given to him in the first half.

His finish was a bit of class giving John Schofield in goal no chance. Sacrament had the better of the next 20 minutes, with Amateurs playing on the counter attack.

With 15 minutes to go Amateurs introduced Ian Turner.

Sacrament could not live with Ian's pace and tricks and with 10 minutes left, Ian picked the ball up on the left and his trickery attracted three defenders, Ian then faked the shot and squared the ball to Luke Toner who shot from just outside the box giving the keeper no chance as Amateurs lead once again.

Besides six minutes of injury time and some dodgy penalty shouts from the Sacrament players, Amateurs successfully saw out the game to send them top of the Premier League.

With nine games left Amateurs have got to treat every game as a cup final, with three teams breathing down their necks.